Acetylene-gas generator



No. 622,839. Patented Apr. ll, I899. E. H. CDNIBEAR &. S. W. RAY.

ACEIYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Dec. 27 1 897.) {No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

v ln'amjfeps I; Eda/W111i 65min Pfiehted Apr. H, I899. E. H. GUNIBEAH81. S W. RAY

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Dfg. D'I 1597.)

' 2 Sheath-Sheet 2.

&No Model.)

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Ill/11111114 I n l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVARD I-I. CONIBEAR AND SAMUEL IV. BAY, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,839, dated April11, 1899.

Application filed December 27,1897. Serial No- 663,651. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, EDWARD I-I. CONIBEAE' and SAMUEL W. RAY, citizensof the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas andState of Texas, have invented a a new and useful Apparatus forGenerating Acetylene Gas, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an apparatus for generating acetylene gas; andthe object is to provide improved means for automatically controllingthe generation of a predetermined quantity of gas, whereby the liabilityto accidents will be minimized.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the novel combinationof elements and in the construction'and arrangement of parts,whicl1 willbe hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a gas-generating apparatus,made in accordance with our invention and adapted to carry out ourimproved method, the gasometer being in section. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection of one of the generators. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of thesame. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of oneof the carbid-holdersdetaohed from the generator.

Similarreference-numeralsindicatesimilar parts in the several figures.

1 indicates the water-reservoir, and 2 the water-supply pipe, from whichlatter a series of branch pipes 3 lead, each of which branch pipes isprovided with a valve 4. The generators are indicated by 5, each ofwhich consists of an outer tube 6, having removable top and bottom caps,(indicated by 7 and 8, respectively,) an inner cylinder 9, which isclosed at its lower'end and is adapted to fit within the tube 6 and besupported on the lower cap 8, and a series of carbid-holders 10,preferably three, and of such size that when superposed within thecylinder 9 they will fill it.

The holders 10 are closed at their lower ends, except as to a centralopening in which a tube 11 is fitted, said tube being of the same lengthas the holder. A series of vertical partitions 12 extend from the tubeto the wall of the holder to form a series of chainbers 13. Each ofthese chambers is adapted to receive a quantity of calcium carbid, and

v 11 and up into the top of the generator.

when the holders are in position 'the central tubes 11 will register andform a continuous passage opening out into the upper part of thegenerator. In order to establish communication between theseveral'chambers and the tube,'openings 14 are formed in the tube, andas the gas is generated in each chamber it will pass into the tubethrough the opening 14 and to the upper portion of the generator, whenceit will be conducted to the gasometer, as will be referred tohereinafter.

Each partition is provided with an opening 15 near its upper end, andeach opening is normally closed by a float-valve 16, which valve may beof any preferred construction.

17 indicates a tube on the inner face of the cylinder 9, preferablyV-shaped, and the water is discharged into this tube from the branchpipe 3, which passes through the'cap 7 of the generator. Each holder 10is provided with a recess 18 tofit over the tube 17 and also with anopening 19, preferably in one wall of the recess 18, near its upper end.The tube 17 is open at its lower end, and as the water is fed into itfromthe branchpipe 3 it will pass into the recess 18 and when it reachesthe opening 19 will pass into one of the chambers. of the lowest holder.The gas will then be generated in this holder and pass out through theopening 14 into the tube As the water will continue to rise in thechamher, it will eventually operate the float-valve 16 and opencommunication between the chamber in which the generation has been goingon and the adjacent chamber and permit the water to overflow into suchadjacent chamber, when the gas will begin to generate in the last-namedchamber, and this operation will be repeated until the calcium carbidhas been exhausted in each of the chambers in the lower holder. Theopenings 15 will of .course be so arranged and be of such dimensionsthat they will permit the water to pass freely from one chamber to theother until all the chambers in the lower holder have been filled beforeit will rise above the lower holder, and in this manner the water willbe keptentirely out of contact.

As soon as all the chambers in the lower holder have been filled withwater the water will rise up in the space between the cylinder and theholders until it reaches the opening 19 in the holder next above, whenthe same operation will be repeated in all the chambers in this holder,and so on until all the chambers in the cylinder 9 have been filled withWater and the calcium carbid exto them in any suitable manner and itslower cross-bar 22 in close proximity to'the caps 8.

This lower bar is provided with a series of threaded openings for thereception of clamping-screws 23, which are adapted to engage the caps 8on the respective tubes and when tightened up will force the upper endof the tube into close contact with the upper caps and also force thelowercaps into close contact with the lower end of the tube, it being ofcourse understood that suitable packing will be used to make a gas-tightjoint. The frame therefore serves to support the generator, and when itis desired to remove one of the generators in order to empty it theclampingscrew 23 will be loosened sufficiently to disengage the lowercap from the lower end of the generator, and the latter can then bemoved entirely out from the frame and the cylinder 9 be emptied of thewater and slaked calcium carbid and then be replenished with freshcalcium carbid and returned to its position in the frame.

24 indicates the gasometer,- and 25 the pipewhich conveys the gas fromthe several generators to the gasometer. The pipe 25 is connected to therespective gas generators by the branch pipes 26, which extend gas tightthrough the upper caps 7 of the respective tubes, and each branch pipeis provided with a valve 27. In the operation' of the device when it isrequired to use one generator at a time the valves 4 in the branchwater-pipes will be closed to cut off water from the generators whichare not being used, and the valves 27 will also be closed to prevent thegas from passing into them from the generator which is being used.Should, however, it be necessary to use two or more generators at atime, the valves 4 and 27 will of course be opened. Y 28 indicates avalve in the watersuppl pipe 2 between the source of supply and thebranch pipes which lead into the gas-gem. erators, and this valve isprovided with a le-. ver-handle, (indicated by 29.) The inner cylinder30 of the gasometer, which rises as the gas is delivered into thegasometer, is provided with an opening in its upper end through which arod 31 extends and is firmly secured to the cylinder to move with it.The inner end of the rod is provided with a ball 32, and its outer endis bent to form an arm 33, which is connected to the lever 29 by a link34. The connection between the link 34 and arm 33 and lever 29 will bepivotal, and as the cylinder 30 rises under the pressure of gasdelivered into the gasometer the valve 28 will be gradually closed andcut off the supply of water, and thereby stop the generation of the gasuntil the pressure is reduced in the gasometer.

35 indicates ahinged valve adapted to close the discharge-opening of thepipe 25, and this valve is provided with an arm 36, which has an openingat its outer end, through which the rod 31 passes, and as the cylindermoves upwardly the ball 32 will be brought into engagement with the arm36 and close the valve and prevent any further ingress of gas to thegasometer until the pressure has been reduced in the gasometer, therebypermitting the cylinder to fall.

While we have illustrated three gas-generators, itis obvious that thenumber maybe increased or diminished, as preferred, and it is also to beunderstood that where there is a regular water system, as in cities, thewatersupply pipe 2 can'be connected with the regular water-supply pipes,and .in that case the reservoir 1 will be dispensed with.

In the practical construction of the generator-cylinder we make thebottom fixed to the cylinder-shell, the upper end of which is open toreceive the removable cap 7, a suitable gasket 7 being interposedbetween the cylinder-shell and the head 7. We arrange the horizontalbranch of the gas-pipe above the corresponding branch of the water-pipefor the purpose of preventing overflow of water from the generator orgenerators into the gaspipe and obviating any tendency of the water toflood the gas-pipe.

In our apparatus the overflow-waterfrom the last generator is conductedto the first generator by an overflow-pipe 37, which is arrangedhorizontally above the generators. One end of this overflow-pipe isattached to the branch pipe 3 below the valve 4 thereof, leading to thelast generator, while the other end of said overflow-pipe 37 is attachedto the branch pipe 3 below the valve 4 therein, leading to the firstgenerator. This overflow-pipe 37 between the first and last generatorsis provided with a valve 38, which remains closed until the firstgenerator has been recharged. Then this valve is opened and remainsopen;

, but valve 4 to said generator remains closed until the last generatoris recharged.

It will be understood that changes in the form, proportion, and theminor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

- Having thus described the invention, what we claim is 1. In anacetylene-gas generator, a carbidholder having a series of chambersWithin a common shell, a series of automatic valves which establishcommunication between the chambers on the overflow of Water successivelyfrom one chamber into another chamher, and a gas-outlet common to all ofthe chambers, substantially as described.

2. In anacetylene-gas apparatus, a generator comprising a series ofcarbid-holders arranged in the same vertical plane and each holdersubdivided into a plurality of chamber's having valved communication onewith the other and also provided with a common gas-outlet which is incommunication with similar gas-outlets on adjacent carbid-holders,substantially as described.

3. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, a generator comprising a series ofcarbid-holders arranged one above the other within acommon casing andeach holder subdivided into a secating one with the other to establish acom-' mon outlet forthe gas from the series of carbid-holde'rs,substantially as described.

4. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, a generator having a series ofcalcium-carbid holders arranged one above the other, each holdercontaininga series of chambers having valved communication with eachother near their upper ends, and a gas-passage common to all thechambers, substantially as described.

5. In an acetylene-gasgenerator, the com-v bination with an externaltube forming a gas.- generating chamber, and a water-pipe connected withsaid tube, of a cylinder provided with a longitudinal water-tube andfitted removably within the external tube for its Water-tube to becoincident with the waterpipe, and a series of carbid-holders Withinsaid cylinder and each holder having a recess to receive the water-tubeof thecylinder,

said Water-tube and the recessed holders being interlocked by the tubefitting the re cesses and the holders communicating with the tubethrough radial water-ports, whereby the carbid-holders are held in placeto receive water from the tube and the series ofsaid holders areWithdrawable with the cylinder, substantially as described.

6. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, a generator having a series ofcarbid-holders arranged one above the other, each holder containing aseries of chambers having valved communication with each other neartheir upper ends, and one chamber in each holder having an openingthrough which water passes for all the chambers in such holder,

and a gas-passage common to all the chambers, substantially asdescribed.

7 In an acetylene-gas apparatus, acalciumcarbid holder, comprising acylinder having a bottom provided with a central opening, a tube securedin said opening, and a series of partitions radiating from the tube tothe wall of the cylinder to form chambers, each partition having avalved opening near its upper end, said cylinder having an opening inits Wall leading into one of said chambers, and

9. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the com-i bination with a generator, agasometer, a water-pipe to the generator, and a gas-inlet pipe from thegenerator to the gasometer, of the gas-valve on the discharge end of thegas-pipe and having an arm within the gasometer-bell, a valve in thewater-pipe, and a stem carried by the gasometer-bell to travel therewithand having one end connected with the watervalve and its other slidablyfitted to the arm of the gas-valve, said stem having a stop arranged toadjust the arm of the gas-valve and close the latter on the upwardtravel of the gasometer-bell and said stem also closing the water-inletvalve, substantially as described.

10. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination of a series ofindependent generators not less than three in number, a water-pipehaving a series of valved branches, 3, connected individually to saidgenerators, a water-overflow pipe, 37, arranged to extend over theintermediate generator without communicating with the water supplythereto and having its ends attached to the branches, 3, of thewater-pipe tothe end generators below the valves in said water-pipebranches, a normally open valve, 38, in said overfiow-pipe between theend generators, and a gas-pipe having valved branches connectedindividually to the generators, whereby the water may overflow throughthe pipe, 37, from one end generator to the other and the valve, 38, maybe closed when recharging either end generator, substantially asdescribed.

11. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, a series of isolated generators eachconsisting of an outer tube, an inner cylinder having a closed bottomand a vertical water-conduit with ports at different elevations, and aseries of superposed carbid-holders arranged within the inner cylinderfor communicating individually through the ports with the watertocontrol the [low of Water successively to the compartments thereof, anda Water-conduit having connection individually with the series ofcarbid-holders, substantially as described. V

In testimony that We claim the, foregoing as our own We have heretoaffixed our signatures in the presence of two'witncsses.

EDWARD H. CONIBEAR. SAMUEL W. RAY.

Witnesses:

G. D. LAUDERDALE, WALLACE ScHELL.

